Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies
Born: 5 June 1912, Old Hill, Staffordshire
Died: 16 April 1981, Chinley, Derbyshire
Major Teams: Warwickshire, England.
Known As: Eric Hollies
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Leg Break Googly
Test Debut: England v West Indies at Bridgetown, 1st Test, 1934/35
Last Test: England v West Indies at Nottingham, 3rd Test, 1950
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1955
Career Statistics:
TESTS
(career)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 13 15 8 37 18* 5.28 0 0 2 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 592.2 176 1332 44 30.27 7-50 5 0 80.7 2.24
FIRST-CLASS
(career: 1932 - 1957)
M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St
Batting & Fielding 515 616 282 1673 47 5.00 0 0 179 0
Balls R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 132369 48656 2323 20.94 10-49 182 40 56.9 2.20
- Explanations of First-Class and List A status courtesy of the ACS.
StatsGuru Filters for Eric Hollies
Profile:
Eric Hollies' place in cricket history largely rests on the ball he bowled
on the 14th of August, 1948 - a googly that pitched on off, hit middle, and
dismissed Don Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings. Hollies however
deserves to be remembered for much more than this - a successful county
cricketer who took more wickets for Warwickshire than any other bowler in a
first-class career that spanned 1932 to 1957.
Bowling relatively quickly from a short run and with an easy action, he
bowled mostly the leg-break and top-spinner, using his excellent googly
sparingly. He did not strive for excessive spin, emphasizing accuracy. He
was a notably poor bat - his highest score in 20 years of first-class
cricket was only 47, and he is one of the few players whose first-class
wickets (2323) exceed his first-class runs (1673). He learnt his trade in
the Birmingham leagues, coached by his father who was himself a top-class
league player. He debuted for Warwickshire in 1932, establishing himself as
a regular in the following year. Another successful season the following
year earned him a place in the touring party to the West Indies, where he
made his Test debut. He had a good tour, taking 7/50 in the Third Test,
before suffering at the hands of Headley in the final Test. Despite fine
performances for Warwickshire he did not get another chance at Test level
until 1947. He took 100 wickets in 1935, a feat he was to repeat 13 more
times, and although picked to play against South Africa had to withdraw due
to injury. He did play against South Africa three times in 1947 with mixed
success, and his 8/147 for Warwickshire against the 1948 Australians earned
him his place in that final Test. He took four other Australian wickets
besides that of Bradman, and bowled economically. He played four Tests
against New Zealand, again with mixed success, and twice against the West
Indies in 1950, his Test career ending with two expensive wickets at
Edgbaston as Worrell and Weekes put the English bowling to the sword. He
toured Australia the following winter, but the wickets did not suit him and
he did not play in a Test.
He played seven more years for Warwickshire, bowling as well as ever apart
from a loss of form in 1956, when he was county captain. His most remarkable
performance was to take all ten Nottinghashire wickets for 49 runs in 1946
without the assistance of a fieldsman, seven being bowled and the other
three lbw. In his final season he took 132 wickets at an average on under
19, and following retirement from the first-class game he played for
Staffordshire, and in the Birmingham leagues until he was well over sixty. A
gentle, cheerful and humourous man, he was much liked by his team-mates and
opponents (DL 2001).
Last Updated: Monday, 29-Jul-2002 11:23:40 GMT
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